ATI Catalyst™ 8.5 Display Driver released

[Fleet Command CC]

Ati has release another new graphics card driver.

http://ati.amd.com/support/driver.html

Give the new driver a try.

[Ed Rotondaro]

Ati has release another new graphics card driver.

http://ati.amd.com/support/driver.html

Give the new driver a try.

Fleet:

You love cuting edge tech! Don't change bro, we need guys like you out there.:D

[Fleet Command CC]

Yep you could say that I'm a bit mad about high tech toys and electronics and software. :D:)

[asnrobert]

My laptop has an ATI graphics card, so I'll have to check it out after I get my hard drive replaced.

[Ed Rotondaro]

My laptop has an ATI graphics card, so I'll have to check it out after I get my hard drive replaced.


Robert:

What happened to your hard drive?

[old_pop2000]

Ati has release another new graphics card driver.

http://ati.amd.com/support/driver.html

Give the new driver a try.
Gentlemen:
I would not change video drivers unless the new driver fixes a problem that you have. Changing video drivers, just because they put a new one out, is not always a safe procedure. Especially with ATI, they are notorious for putting out drivers that create more problems than fix. Ensure that the new driver is Microsoft certified. Wait until the new driver shows up on Microsoft update before using.

[Warship NWS]

Gentlemen:
I would not change video drivers unless the new driver fixes a problem that you have. Changing video drivers, just because they put a new one out, is not always a safe procedure. Especially with ATI, they are notorious for putting out drivers that create more problems than fix. Ensure that the new driver is Microsoft certified. Wait until the new driver shows up on Microsoft update before using.

I would not entirely agree with this. ATI did have some problems with some of their previous driver sets about 1-2 years ago as they were trying to shoehorn updated DX code, backwards compatibilty with outdated cards, and new features into single install driver sets .. this did not always work however. Nvidia is now having just as much, if not more, trouble then ATI did.

Now I do completely agree that going with the WQHL route is best.. that is where Nvidia ran into trouble, they were posting patchwork updates that were not certified and in turn they caused sporadic problems.

ATI cards do have one very critical quality over Nvidia, they run a LOT cooler. Nvidia chips are notorious for running hot even when not running overclocked. My Diamond built ATI 3650 HD card is rock solid and running perfectly over the last 3 driver updates. I recently switched from Nvidia to ATI due to Nvidias driver problems and the heat differences. Overall ATI has improved their drivers and support a lot recently. Their drivers are also typically WQHL certified upon release... Nvidias are not always certified upon release which possibly implies they are using the public as beta testers.

Thanks.

[old_pop2000]

I would not entirely agree with this. ATI did have some problems with some of their previous driver sets about 1-2 years ago as they were trying to shoehorn updated DX code, backwards compatibilty with outdated cards, and new features into single install driver sets .. this did not always work however. Nvidia is now having just as much, if not more, trouble then ATI did.

Now I do completely agree that going with the WQHL route is best.. that is where Nvidia ran into trouble, they were posting patchwork updates that were not certified and in turn they caused sporadic problems.

ATI cards do have one very critical quality over Nvidia, they run a LOT cooler. Nvidia chips are notorious for running hot even when not running overclocked. My Diamond built ATI 3650 HD card is rock solid and running perfectly over the last 3 driver updates. I recently switched from Nvidia to ATI due to Nvidias driver problems and the heat differences. Overall ATI has improved their drivers and support a lot recently. Their drivers are also typically WQHL certified upon release... Nvidias are not always certified upon release which possibly implies they are using the public as beta testers.

Thanks.
ATI still has problems, as does NVIDIA. My problem with updating drivers is the fact that they implement new functions which many times are incompatible with 3GL or directX 10. This has happened more than once. Almost every problem my son and I have encountered with computers that we are repairing, are connected with upgrades to video drivers which hose up the whole system. I am urging everyone to wait until the WQHL certification is complete and you get the new drivers from Microsoft update.

Don't fix, what ain't broke. This is a concept that I have impressed on my son, since he was small and he follows it. We never have any problems with our systems, and neither does any of the systems that we provide support for. After forty years of working on electronics, I tell you candidly, that changing drivers without a problem, is setting yourself up for a problem.

[Warship NWS]

ATI still has problems, as does NVIDIA. My problem with updating drivers is the fact that they implement new functions which many times are incompatible with 3GL or directX 10. This has happened more than once. Almost every problem my son and I have encountered with computers that we are repairing, are connected with upgrades to video drivers which hose up the whole system. I am urging everyone to wait until the WQHL certification is complete and you get the new drivers from Microsoft update.

Don't fix, what ain't broke. This is a concept that I have impressed on my son, since he was small and he follows it. We never have any problems with our systems, and neither does any of the systems that we provide support for. After forty years of working on electronics, I tell you candidly, that changing drivers without a problem, is setting yourself up for a problem.

Like I said previously, I agree with the WQHL certification part. Sometimes though new drivers do bring about significant improvements, and quite often expanded game compatibility, and to date I have yet to have a system hosed by a certified driver for any component. Not saying it can't happen but based on the years I have worked on computers it is pretty rare. The good thing about XP/Vista is that you can roll back drivers - which works for the most part. Heck, I am more afraid of Microsoft screwing something up then I am of certified drivers causing problems.. ;)

In any case.. to each their own.. whatever makes your computer happy. ;)

[Warship NWS]

To the readers of the thread, as a note about video drivers - or any drivers for that matter - no two technically experienced people agree on all aspects of computers. Dennis does have a heck of a background and his responses are not incorrect in terms of the safest route to take. There is always a level of calculated risk when updating a computer system in terms of hardware or software. Sometimes gamers do have to weigh the risks vs benefits of making changes. Read forums, read the docs that come with the drivers, get educated feedback from other gamers, etc.. and most of all, and I completely agree with Dennis on this part, backup anything you cannot afford to lose on your hard drive regularly and take care which websites you visit as far more computers are trashed due to malicious code from "dark alley" websites then any other form of software corruption that I have personally come across.

Like I stated above.. I completely agree with the WQHL certification of drivers, especially for video cards. Going with non-certified drivers is like rolling the dice with your system stability.

In the end run.. whatever works for your gaming enjoyment.. go with it. There is no 100% answer to the complex arena of computer gaming.. just use good judgment and educate yourselves.

Thanks.

[old_pop2000]

To the readers of the thread, as a note about video drivers - or any drivers for that matter - no two technically experienced people agree on all aspects of computers. Dennis does have a heck of a background and his responses are not incorrect in terms of the safest route to take. There is always a level of calculated risk when updating a computer system in terms of hardware or software. Sometimes gamers do have to weigh the risks vs benefits of making changes. Read forums, read the docs that come with the drivers, get educated feedback from other gamers, etc.. and most of all, and I completely agree with Dennis on this part, backup anything you cannot afford to lose on your hard drive regularly and take care which websites you visit as far more computers are trashed due to malicious code from "dark alley" websites then any other form of software corruption that I have personally come across.

Like I stated above.. I completely agree with the WQHL certification of drivers, especially for video cards. Going with non-certified drivers is like rolling the dice with your system stability.

In the end run.. whatever works for your gaming enjoyment.. go with it. There is no 100% answer to the complex arena of computer gaming.. just use good judgment and educate yourselves.

Thanks.

I concur, you must be careful and educate yourself on the positives and negatives of each change you make. Ensure you have a good antivirus that is kept up to date. If you forget, turn on automatic updates whenever you can. Have a good anti-spam blocker software like Spybot, Ad-Aware. Any of those are good. Do a disk defrag regularly. There are simple procedures to follow that will ensure that your system is healthy. Keep your systems separate. If you work at home or do work at home, keep that system separate from your gaming and surfing system. And especially, set the security on any wireless network in your house. Do not leave them open. Always stick with certified drivers. Be careful that in your attempt to extract a little more performance out of a system, that you reduce its reliability or stability. Keep the drivers that maintain the system stable. System's that go BSOD, regularly need to return to the original drivers or completely reloaded.

The simple procedure to follow is this; if you are not a computer geek, then use the cautious approach to upgrades. keep the XP and Vista restore turned on. Ensure that the drivers and software on your system are stable versions, not beta's. Beware of mom and pop computer stores and the geek who works out of his garage. Check his bone fides. Most of these characters have enough information to be dangerous, but not enough to get you out of real trouble. Remember that your computer technician cannot fix a problem, that he cannot recreate or test for. An intermittent problem is not a repairable problem until it can be recreated in a test environment. Don't get mad at him. If you begin having those kinds of problems, they can be heat related, keep you air vents cleaned. Don't just blow air, vacuum them externally. Keep you computer in a position where cool air can circulate around it. If you think you machine is dirty, bring it to a reputable repair facility and explain that the machine needs cleaning. Motherboards are susceptible to static electric discharge and it can generate over 10000 volts and destroy VLSI circuits. They have special grounding straps to ensure the safety of your equipment.

One last, but very important issue. Power stability in computer's is very important. Sudden loss of power is not as destructive as sudden power spikes or voltage decreases. That may sound counterintuitive, but it is true. If you have invested in a $1000 or $2000 computer, don't connect it to a $20 dollar or less, power strip. Spend the extra money, and go to a battery backup surge suppressor from APC. These connect to your system's USB port and then, when power is lost, the battery will keep the computer running until MS windows can shut down. It can be configured from the control panel power icon. Get your computer repairman to help. This is very important for those of you living in areas of electrical storms and frequent heavy rains and snows. Don't be pennywise and pound foolish. Spend the extra money to properly protect the computer from the vagaries of the power companies.

Good luck, I hope this helps.

[Warship NWS]

An internet security/anti-virus suite that I highly recommend,

http://us.trendmicro.com/us/home/

Thanks.

[Ed Rotondaro]

I would not entirely agree with this. ATI did have some problems with some of their previous driver sets about 1-2 years ago as they were trying to shoehorn updated DX code, backwards compatibilty with outdated cards, and new features into single install driver sets .. this did not always work however. Nvidia is now having just as much, if not more, trouble then ATI did.

Now I do completely agree that going with the WQHL route is best.. that is where Nvidia ran into trouble, they were posting patchwork updates that were not certified and in turn they caused sporadic problems.

ATI cards do have one very critical quality over Nvidia, they run a LOT cooler. Nvidia chips are notorious for running hot even when not running overclocked. My Diamond built ATI 3650 HD card is rock solid and running perfectly over the last 3 driver updates. I recently switched from Nvidia to ATI due to Nvidias driver problems and the heat differences. Overall ATI has improved their drivers and support a lot recently. Their drivers are also typically WQHL certified upon release... Nvidias are not always certified upon release which possibly implies they are using the public as beta testers.

Thanks.

Chris:

I was worried about that as well as power problems when I upgraded my PC recently. By using a combined CD/DVD drive writer I saved some power. I opted for an Nvidia 512MB card and it has a little fan attached to it. I left one of the drive bays open (which my tech guy said would help my PC run cool), but I am a little worried about letting in dust.

[Ed Rotondaro]

Like I said previously, I agree with the WQHL certification part. Sometimes though new drivers do bring about significant improvements, and quite often expanded game compatibility, and to date I have yet to have a system hosed by a certified driver for any component. Not saying it can't happen but based on the years I have worked on computers it is pretty rare. The good thing about XP/Vista is that you can roll back drivers - which works for the most part. Heck, I am more afraid of Microsoft screwing something up then I am of certified drivers causing problems.. ;)

In any case.. to each their own.. whatever makes your computer happy. ;)

Chris:

Good point about Micrsoft and their "improvements". What does WQHL stand for?

[Warship NWS]

Chris:

Good point about Micrsoft and their "improvements". What does WQHL stand for?

WQHL info,

http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/other/26

[Warship NWS]

Chris:

I was worried about that as well as power problems when I upgraded my PC recently. By using a combined CD/DVD drive writer I saved some power. I opted for an Nvidia 512MB card and it has a little fan attached to it. I left one of the drive bays open (which my tech guy said would help my PC run cool), but I am a little worried about letting in dust.

I run an open case system however this is not feasible for everyone. I run my PC on top of a desk about 4 feet above the floor with no covers so I can blow it out with an air can whenever needed, I can listen to the drives and fans to make sure they are running in good order, and I can easily make changes to my system hardware when needed.

As to power .. I have a 500W power supply running a MB, AMD dual core CPU, GPU card, 4GB RAM, 2 HDs, 2 CD/DVDs, and several USB devices. It is recommended to have at least a 400-500+W power supply depending on the number of components you have running. They are not expensive and it is much better to have more power then you need then less.

Thanks.

[asnrobert]

Robert:

What happened to your hard drive?

About a month ago, it started running REALLY slow. It wouldtake about 10 minutes to boot up, and sometimes I'd get the desktop and icons but be unable to run anything. I regularly run AV and spyware sweeps so that wasn't the problem. I did a complete reformat which solved the problem, but when I ran diagnostics tests, the hard drive would fail. It's working "for now" but as the computer is about three years old (and from my experience that's the lifespan of a drive; my 5 year old Sony Vaio desktop still has the original drive, but that's because I rarely use it), so I figure I'll go ahead and replace it. I was going to get a 160 GB drive, but was informed by HP that the largest my model will support (I have a HP Pavilion zv6000) is 100 GB (I currently have a 80). Since it's under extended warranty, I figure I might as well get the free drive (although I have to send the unit to HP to get it fixed).

[old_pop2000]

Here are three links provided by my son, for antivirus, malware ans anti-spot bot protection.

http://free.grisoft.com/ww.download?prd=afe


http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

http://www.superantispyware.com/download.html


My son currently works for Cox Communications in the Cox Plus area. He is working on his degree in computer science, with an emphasis on networking. He is also working get A+ and Cisco certification along with Microsoft certs, time permitting. He builds his own computers and provides support for some businesses.

[Fleet Command CC]

Chris:

I was worried about that as well as power problems when I upgraded my PC recently. By using a combined CD/DVD drive writer I saved some power. I opted for an Nvidia 512MB card and it has a little fan attached to it. I left one of the drive bays open (which my tech guy said would help my PC run cool), but I am a little worried about letting in dust.

Hey Ed

You could give this web site a try to see what power you.

http://web.aanet.com.au/SnooP/psucalc.php

This web site can calculate both the wattage and 12V amps required to run your system. Which is very helpful when upgrading PSU (Power Pack) check out the link, but has Warship NWS has said a 500 watt + PSU would be fine, just a little note I would buy a branded PSU, not a GENERIC. Here are some brand I would highly recommend to you.

THERMALTAKE, COOLERMASTER, CORSAIR, OCZ Technology, Nexus, Hiper.

I'm using a OCZ 600W StealthXStream PSU, running a Intel Core 2 Extreme X6800 2.93GHz, 4GB Elixir PC2-5300/667mhz, Sapphire 2600XT 256MB GDDR4 PCI-E, 500GB Seagate SATAII HDD, 160 Seagate SATAII HDD, and DVDRW and DVD Rom Drives, lastly four 120mm fans. :cool:

[Fleet Command CC]

An internet security/anti-virus suite that I highly recommend,

http://us.trendmicro.com/us/home/

Thanks.

I have use the 2006 verison of this software and I would recommend it, has got a great web site filters. I would to add some internet securty I have tried and brought,

PC Tools Internet Security 2008 – All-in-one Protection

http://www.pctools.com/internet-security/

there is just one problem with the software it's no good on a low spec computer. If you have got a Dual Core CPU, and two GB's of ram or more the PC Tools Internet Security 2008 will run ok, but I would'nt recommend PCTIS2008 on any computer lower that the above spec, because I tried it on a low spec computer and PCTIS2008 crash the PC.

Another good one is AVG Internet Security

http://www.grisoft.com/ww.product-avg-internet-security

Runs well on a lower spec computer and also does a very deep scan of your computer HDD's.

McAfee® Internet Security Suite

http://www.mcafeestore.com/dr/sat3/ec_MAIN.Entry?CID=0&SID=39692&SP=10007&CUR=840&DSP=0&PGRP=0&ABCODE=&CACHE_ID=0

Another that runs well on a lower spec computer.

[Fleet Command CC]

I would not entirely agree with this. ATI did have some problems with some of their previous driver sets about 1-2 years ago as they were trying to shoehorn updated DX code, backwards compatibilty with outdated cards, and new features into single install driver sets .. this did not always work however. Nvidia is now having just as much, if not more, trouble then ATI did.

Now I do completely agree that going with the WQHL route is best.. that is where Nvidia ran into trouble, they were posting patchwork updates that were not certified and in turn they caused sporadic problems.

ATI cards do have one very critical quality over Nvidia, they run a LOT cooler. Nvidia chips are notorious for running hot even when not running overclocked. My Diamond built ATI 3650 HD card is rock solid and running perfectly over the last 3 driver updates. I recently switched from Nvidia to ATI due to Nvidias driver problems and the heat differences. Overall ATI has improved their drivers and support a lot recently. Their drivers are also typically WQHL certified upon release... Nvidias are not always certified upon release which possibly implies they are using the public as beta testers.

Thanks.

I agree with Warship NWS, I haven't had any problems the the Ati drivers for a long times. You just have to make sure you uninstall them and reinstall them correctly, but as both of you have said WQHL route is a good ideal. When I give any new driver a try I always keep a backup of the drivers that work with no problems, I think this is another good route to take.

But this is coming from someone that reinstall his OS every Two-Three months, so backing up is a big thing to me. :cool:

A question for you Warship NWS is the ATI 3650 HD any good, I have been thinking about updating GPU for some time and the prices of the ATI 3650 HD getting quite low now, or should I go for a Radeon HD 3870 X2 1G PCI-E? :D

[Warship NWS]

A question for you Warship NWS is the ATI 3650 HD any good, I have been thinking about updating GPU for some time and the prices of the ATI 3650 HD getting quite low now, or should I go for a Radeon HD 3870 X2 1G PCI-E? :D


On a cost per performance level the 3650 IMHO is an excellent video card.

[Warship NWS]

McAfee® Internet Security Suite


I am not a fan of McAfee or Norton for a lot of reasons.. I will pick TrendMicro over both of them any day of the week. ;)

[Fleet Command CC]

On a cost per performance level the 3650 IMHO is an excellent video card.


Thanks Warship NWS, I might get now niceone. I agree with you on Norton Internet Security, its a pain in the back side.

I had nothing but problems with NIS2006:(,NIS2007:(, NIS2008:mad:, but when I first had a computer I tried NIS2005 and it work well so. I gave the later versions a try when they all came out, but I wish I hadn't.